LGBT+

In a speech last summer, Trump suggested creating an ideological screening test to bar from the US Muslims who hold “the hateful ideology of Radical Islam—its oppression of women, gays, children, and nonbelievers.”

A 24-year-old gay Muslim is believed to be the first of his faith to wed in a same-sex marriage in the UK Jahed Choudhury, who was attacked over his sexuality in the past, grew up feeling ostracised by his community for being gay. Awkwardly, in an attempt to “change” his sexual orientation, he was sent on a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, forced to change his social circle and even take medication.

Coming out is a difficult experience for many young people. But when your sexuality is at odds with everything you have been taught, it can be deeply traumatic. Many gay youngsters brought up in the Islamic faith face extreme opposition when they reveal their sexuality to their communities. For 26-year-old British Muslim Naman Parvaiz, it was truly terrifying.

Years ago, in one of the many social groups that coalesce around shared interests and social affiliations of LGBT people in Egypt, we used to gather at a friend’s place and watch old shows of Sherihan’s. My friends compared her to Lady Gaga and many of us believed that in fact Sherihan anticipated Lady Gaga by a decade or more. In many of her performances, costumes and makeup, she actually outdid Lady Gaga. We were proud of an Egyptian artist who was fearless, bold in her choices and so extreme in what she could get away with, but at the same time remained irresistibly…Read more

IS THERE ROOM IN ISLAM FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER MUSLIMS? A FEW QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY DR. SCOTT SIRAJ AL-HAQQ KUGLE Some Religions Seem to View Sex As Shameful or Unclean. Is That True of Islam? No. In early Islamic history, sex was seen as a positive part of human life. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) helped people see that spiritual life and sexual life are connected. Early Muslim scholars talked about sex in a very straight-forward way as a normal, positive part of life. Al-Ghazali, a Muslim scholar who lived more than 900 years ago, called sexual pleasure a blessing…Read more

Letter Sent Amid Reports of Crackdown Over Social Media Use Washington – In response to reports of increased persecution of members of the LGBTQ community in Saudi Arabia, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney led a bipartisan letter to Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States highlighting American concerns for human rights abuses and clarifying that those abuses will negatively impact American-Saudi relations. Okaz, a liberal Saudi newspaper, first reported that prosecutors in the city of Jeddah were seeking the death penalty for those accused of engaging in homosexual behaviour.

Colonialism taught Muslims to be ashamed of many things, including sexual orientation. Now they are more intolerant (and maybe more hypocritical) than the Victorians. LONDON — Half of British Muslims say being gay “should be outlawed.” Thus ran the headline in London’s Sunday Times this week. Even more opposed gay marriage, while almost half thought it was unacceptable for a gay or lesbian to teach their children. These findings from an ICM poll will be presented in a Channel 4 documentary: What British Muslims Really Think, airing this Wednesday. The show will portray the growing divergence between mainstream Britain…Read more

Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in the conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and punishable by death. The word homosexuality in Arabic means Shuthuth, which is in itself a pejoratively insulting word means anomaly or abnormality. In an attempt to decrease homosexuality, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pushing for executing gays. The Saudis suspect that social media, Pink News reported, is “making too many homosexuals”. According to Saudi newspapers, prosecutors in Saudi Arabia are pushing to enforce the death penalty for homosexuality because social media is turning people gay. Homosexuality in Saudi Arabia is not only illegal, but also often…Read more